How To Spend a Cozy Holiday Weekend in Hanover County

When the days get shorter and the temperatures chill, the holidays in Hanover County show up in the small moments. Here, the holiday magic looks like eating at family-run café, picking out your own Christmas tree from a local farm, finding just the antique you were looking for, or spending an evening under thousands of twinkling lights. Here’s how you can make the most out of a cozy weekend in Hanover County.

Get Your Caffeine Fix

Start your weekend with a warm drink and check out these local coffee shops.

The Local Cup

Get your morning started at The Local Cup. This coffee shop serves coffee, tea, and baked goods, making it an easy first stop before a day of holiday shopping. Their coffee is locally roasted onsite, so you can taste the freshness in every sip.

Rivers Edge Coffee Company & Solbird Books

Pair your next cup of coffee with a little book browsing at Rivers Edge Coffee Company. Solbird Books, located within Rivers Edge, is a small bookstore made entirely from donated books, where earnings go to local nonprofits. You can pick up a book or a gift while giving back to the community.

Classic Coffee, Tea & Books

Head to Ashland and check out one of their neighborhood spots for freshly made coffee. Classic Coffee, Tea and Books serves handcrafted drinks in a nook-like environment. Browse from a selection of books and local goods before exploring the rest of downtown Ashland.

Pick Your Christmas Tree

Start a new holiday tradition by bringing home your Christmas tree from Hanover County.

Windy Knoll Farm

Cut your own tree at Windy Knoll Farm, which opens the Friday and Saturday after Thanksgiving. Take a hayride out to the field, grab a saw, and find the tree that will light up your home. Once you’ve made your cut, the farm handles the shaking, baling, and loading. Trees are available in limited quantities.

Hanover Pines

Head to Beaverdam for a visit to Hanover Pines, a family-owned choose-and-cut Christmas tree farm. Browse the selection for a tree that fits your home, or look for a pre-cut Fraser fir to bring home for decorating. With wreaths and holiday fare available, you can pick up a few more seasonal touches while you’re there.

Find Your Next Centerpiece

From a centerpiece for your holiday table to a one-of-a-kind gift, Hanover County’s antique and secondhand shops offer plenty of options for shopping.

Plum Pickings

Make time for a little holiday treasure hunting at Plum Pickings. Browse stalls featuring local artists and makers alongside a mix of vintage finds, antiques, and handcrafted goods. From handmade candles and jewelry to seasonal home decor, there’s plenty to explore.

Arc of Hanover

Shop with purpose at The Arc of Hanover Thrift Store. Store profits support The Arc’s programs and operations, helping the organization serve individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families. They even have an entire Christmas village as part of the store.

Cold Harbor Antiques Mall

Cold Harbor Antiques Mall is one of the largest collections of antiques in Hanover County. With furniture, glassware, and collectibles, there’s plenty to browse for holiday decorating and gift-giving. Keep an eye out for a serving piece, a vintage accent, or something special for the collector in your life.

Class & Trash

You’ll never know what you’ll find at Class & Trash. They carry an eclectic mix of vintage furniture, architectural salvage, and secondhand finds. The changing selection makes browsing part of the experience, whether you’re looking for a statement piece or a small finishing touch for your holiday décor.

See Christmas Lights

When evening arrives, trade your shopping bags for a little holiday sparkle and check out these illumination events in the county.

Light Up The Tracks

Spend an evening exploring downtown Ashland during Light Up the Tracks. More than 10,000 lights brighten a mile-long stretch of downtown, creating a festive backdrop for shopping and dining. The free display shines nightly from dusk, so you can work a little holiday magic into whichever weekend you visit. The grand illumination is November 21st.

The Illumination of Historic Polegreen Church

Bring a lawn chair, dress for an afternoon outdoors, and settle in for a seasonal celebration at Historic Polegreen Church. The illumination brings visitors together for holiday music, food trucks, a visit from Santa, and the lighting of the historic open-air church. This event is also scheduled for November 21st.

Winter on The Green

Round out your weekend with Winter on the Green on December 12 at the Historic Hanover Courthouse Green. The evening’s grand illumination takes place at dusk, followed by more holiday fun around the courthouse grounds. Browse the winter marketplace, enjoy live music, take a horse-drawn carriage ride, or stop for cocoa between activities. With cookie decorating with Mrs. Claus and visits with Santa, there’s plenty to keep the whole family in the holiday spirit.

More Holiday Happenings

November 21: Light Up the Tracks in Ashland

November 21: The Illumination of historic Polegreen Church

November 22: Ashland/Hanover Olde Time Holiday Parade

December 5: Scotchtown’s Annual Holiday Cheer

December 6: A Colonial Christmas Tea at Hanover Tavern

December 11-12: Christmas Market at Hanover Arts & Activities Center

December 12: Winter on the Green

Linger a Little Longer

The holidays are the best time to slow down and stay a little longer. Every coffee poured, every antique rescued, and every gift wrapped in Hanover supports a small business, and that’s the kind of holiday worth taking a cozy weekend trip to Hanover County.